Probably not, we don't get many small diesels. Debate rages as to whether this is because Americans just arent interested after the crummy Oldsmobile 350 diesels of the 1980s, or because European diesel engines cant be made to p*** our emissions regulations. -Dave
Well if you are wanting fuel mileage,reliability,and power in a small package the ecotec is a good choice-yes you will have fuel injection-but you did say you wanted fuel economy.If you are not putting enough miles on to justify the expense-run the small block or inliner with a carb and dont worry about it. When you consider the low cost of an inliner or small block rebuilt to stock with a single or two barrel carb vs buying a used late model high tech motor and then a harness to make it work right-you will have to put a ton of miles on the late model to justify the money spent. Spark plugs however do last a lot longer in the new fuelie motors
The VW TDI is not a traditional engine by any stretch, but with the hood closed, who'd know? There was somebody on here yesterday afternoon who had picked up a '90's Thunderbird turbo four w/ a T5, wondering about what to do with it. he got some **** answers, but I'd put it in a Nash Metro or an early Falcon 2 door wagon or a Ranchero w/ a toneau cover. He could probably see around 28-30 hwy mpg in something like that. The more you can save on your daily commute, the more you have left to spend on your real hot rod! Later, *****6
For max mileage I'd go for the VW based TDI myself or the old Izuzu Diesel that came in Chevettes. There was a guy here who had one in a Vicky high boy... I saw it at GG Nashville one year I think. 40mpg plus. But the Turbo TDI would be a lot faster and easier on the gas given the new technology. My dream I-4 would be the supercharged GM Ecotech. The 2.0T version in my HHR SS gets 30-31 mpg on the highway at 75 mph and 22 around town. It STILL gets 27 mpg at 85! The HHR is heavier at 3300lbs but far more aero than a hot rod. Gary
Every time I go on a trip with my '92 Buick Roadmaster TBI 350 I crack 30 mpg. Imagine what that driveline would do in your T.
My '61 Ford has a slightly hopped up 223 inline 6 w/ Clay Smith 265 cam, Holley 390, Clifford intake and splitter headers and vintage Mallory dual point ignition. 3 speed + overdrive 4th and 3.08 rear. If I drive sensibly it gets right at 20 mpg out on the highway. My car weighs right at 3400 lbs, but I've thought that this motor in a much lighter car makes a ton of sense. I have the adaptor to link up to a T5 and have the transmission in the shop to do it. My guess is that transmission will improve mileage even more and make the car even easier to drive. Way back when, Ford called this motor, "The Mileage Maker." They are plentiful and cheap to build. Not a ton of aftermarket parts, but enough to make a nice motor. I like those inliners, and with gas prices doing what they are doing, I like the inliners even more. Hope you do this build. Love to hear about the results.
According to Speedway, it won't fit. But if your heavy Buick is doing that well with the EFI 350, I'd love to hear how something like the Speedway Lo-Boy '32 (otherwise done as I described) would do. -Dave
My flathead 4 Henry J gets 30 mpg but the car weighs less than 2400lbs. I made it to primer nationals and back on 1/4 tanks stopped to fill it up on the way up and thought the gas gauge was misreading got back to fill it up only 4 gallons would go in. So I would say it's possible. But that being said 70 mph is a tough one for it. My shoebox gets around 24mpg with it's 302 and mavirck rear w.2.79 rear gears
I know its off topic but flaw the model A and a new ch***is like u mentioned and go LS1/auto or case iron equivalent and you would get great economy. I have a buddy that this motor was in his 73 t/a and he said he was gettin 25-28 on the highway
Check out a natural gas conversion. They can be done to a wide array of motors. I just picked up a 5.4L V8 Ford F-150, it's bi-fuel so it runs on natural gas or regular. On natural gas I am getting around 18 mpg, but natural gas only costs $0.92 per gallon! (at my local station) At current gas prices you'd have to get 80+ mpg on regular unleaded to match it! Plus natural gas is all sourced in the US, no foreign oil. Not to mention almost zero emissions which helps compensate the tree huggers for your rods
Again, I'm old. I come from an era where anything fits anything with the proper persuasion. However, an '88 S-10 used a 4 cylinder automatic TBI that gets within a couple mpg of the Buick. With a T-5 behind it, you could probably get 30+ trip. They are an interesting little engine. Called the "Iron Duke." Used in a number of GM vehicles.
With the epa/ feds / treehuggers jamming 10% ethanol (with a larger percentage to come) down our fuel fillers fuel economy will continue to suffer.. just saying..
What mileage does a stock Model A get ??? I know a lot of guys with 50-60's inline 6 powered cars and trucks and one out of ten says more that 18 MPG at hiway speeds.
I dunno...I've got a 2000 S-10 Extreme with a 2.4/5-speed/3.73 and it only gets 25mpg highway. If I drop the tailgate I get 27mpg. It weighs 3000lbs...and it's alot more aerodynamic than a 1988 S-10.
Many extreme claims of gas mileage (both good and bad) are caused by a failure of the individual making the claim to consider everything about how to figure mileage. My Dad once had a Buick Skylark with a V-6 he bought new that he figured highway mileage at 31 MPG. I didn't argue, but one time we had to take two cars on a 100 mile trip. I followed him in a car I used for rallying, with a corrected odometer. I went 102 miles; he went 127. Dad wasn't so proud of the mileage after that, and was really ticked when he figured out his 50K warranty was only about 40K. Enthusiasts change final drive ratios, tire diameter, etc., which can really effect the accuracy of an odometer. And in some instances, like the one above, the odometer just isn't that accurate from the factory. Jon.
You are in Oklahoma where that wind comes out of Kansas and blows 90 mph on the front of your vehicle no matter which direction you are going.
I get about 20mpg out of my stocker, but im not doing 70mph........ if you like to watch the world go by at a slow pace .... get a banger... . .
I like it I've had a lot of vehicles. One of the biggest surprises I've had was my old 1984 Ramcharger 4x4. With a 318 it would get 20 mpg (provided I drove very carefully at 60 mph). My 77 F100 with a 3 speed and six cylinder would get 22-23 mpg consistently. I was surprised when my 65 F100 with a smaller motor (240 versus 300) got much less. It seems to average around 16 mpg which at 4 plus dollars a gallon really lightens the wallet. It cost me 16 bucks just to go to work. I had a 350 v8 powered Caprice that got 23 mpg. The best was my little Suzuki Swift, 50 mpg I also had a 63 Rambler Cl***ic with a very tired 196 and a 3 speed, it averaged 21 mpg. If it was me I'd build a really light hot rod (A or a T bucket), cram in a small flathead 6 (Plymouth 218 or a Willys 161) and three speed over drive transmission. I'd put on some skinny tires and call it good. That should be good for 30 mpg easily plus it is a traditional and simple drivetrain. Those old Willys 161 flatheads were supposedly good for 35 mpg in an Aero with overdrive. If you wanted to go all out could get a Jeep F-head four cylinder hooked up to a Willys Aero overdrive transmission.
I had one of those 88 s10 trucks actually more like a wheel barrow that you could drive. Small 4cyl 2.5 i think with a 5 speed. Brand new and was stripped no options. Got fantastic mileage. Don't remember the axle ratio or the tank capacity (maybe 16 gallons) but I'd get well over 400 miles out of a fill up.
Whatever anyone builds figure the amount of cash,time,effort for the project then compute how much fuel you can buy for that amount.I get a chuckle out of folks who get rid of a paid off car that gets 20mpg for a new vehicle that gets 25 mpg.Cost of higher insurance,license tabs,car payments,etc,they would have been money up keeping what they had.
The S10 I drive at work is a 2wd, standard cab, 5 speed with a 2.2, 5 speed, and tall gears. It gets 23 in town, 27 on the freeway. Lots of combinations will get good mileage on the freeway or at a constant RPM, but what you want with a daily is something that works well with your route to work, the store, in traffic, etc. My 18 mile route to work has 27 stops each way, and my '06 Dodge 4x4 1500 with a 345 hemi gets 14-15 daily, but an easy 20 on the freeway. My idea of a commuter is very similar to yours, but with a 4" channel, 2-3" chop, and cycle fenders to get the profile down. Maybe powered by a Mazda Miata package or something similar that's a RWD 4cyl with a manual trans. I hate the electronics, but that seems to be the best way to get HP and MPG out of the same engine.
Modelaman, I had a 64 Falcon Ranchero with a 91 5.0 EFI,AOD,325 Rear, and got 29.8 mpg on the highway. No bull: At the price of gas, wish the hell i still had it. Butch Evans(Falconeer) Thomasville NC
My O/T '71 British car got 30 mpg highway with an 1800cc 4 cyl, OD and 3.90 rearend. 2200 pound car, no neck breaking acceleration but 0-60 in the 8-9 second range. So yes, I'd say also go with the 4 cyl.
I actually had an '88 S-10 that got around 30-32. I think the carbureted trucks only got around 28-20 but in an A bone that would be the ***s and the added benefit of a push rod motor with lots and lots of go fast goodies at your disposal.
The Jalopy Journal
